Straight Shooting
by Sheryl Nantus
Summary: So what CAN you shoot straight, Mulder?


Summary: So what CAN you shoot straight, Mulder? Rating: Story, MSR, light giggling and snuffling allowed. Disclaimer: Not mine. Pre-Season 8; No Mulder abduction; no pregnancy. All fine and dandy in MY world. Archive: Anywhere, anytime - just let me know! E-Mail: xfdragon@zoominternet.net  
  
Straight Shooting (1/1) By Sheryl Nantus  
  
"Righto." Tapping his pen on the clipboard the older agent smiled. "I'll have the results in a few minutes." He waved a hand at the far end of the shooting range where the door was. "If you want to relocate to the waiting room, I'll open it up to the rest of the kids."  
  
Replacing the ear protectors on the bench in front of her Scully expertly snapped the barrel of her weapon back and forth; making sure it was clean and clear. Behind her, Mulder stood with a slight smirk on his face.  
  
"Bet Skinner fixed it so we fail."  
  
As she holstered her weapon she smiled. "I don't think that's likely. He wouldn't like the paperwork involved." Sliding the thick glasses from her face she carefully placed them on the bench as other agents began to fill the target range. "Let's get out of here before it gets noisy."  
  
"Well, let's see here..." The senior agent scratched behind his ear with the pen, a bemused look on his face. "Agent Mulder... well, I'm not happy, to say the least."  
  
"Oh?" A thickly innocent look fell over Mulder's face.  
  
"You're on the thin edge of not qualifying. But if you come in twice a week for the next two weeks, I'll let you stay on." The pen danced along the top of the clipboard. "But that's as much as I can give you. You miss one day; one practice and I'll have to inform the Assistant Director that you're not competent in the field."  
  
"Oooh..." Mulder's stage whisper drew a thin smile from his partner. "Then I'd have to stay home from work..."  
  
"And Agent Scully..." Ignoring the miscreant agent in front of him, the tester broke into a large grin. "I'd say that if it were possible, you've gotten better. If you ever decide to change positions, I'd be glad to recommend you for a sharpshooter course."  
  
"Ah..." She blinked rapidly, taking in the information. "I'm happy where I am right now, thank you."  
  
"But you look SO good in black…" The stage whisper came from behind her.  
  
As she reached forward to take the offered packet of paper from the tester her foot shot to one side, smacking into Mulder's shin.  
  
"And I look good in black and blue…" The choked whisper dragged off into a sigh.  
  
"See you in six months. Or in your case, Agent Mulder - five days." Ignoring the exchange, the older man stepped back into the target range. With a deep sigh Mulder began to limp toward the exit door, held open by a straightfaced Scully.  
  
"Now that's just wrong..."  
  
"What's wrong now..." Scully looked up from her lunch, pushing her tuna salad pita to one side. "Don't tell me it still hurts."  
  
"Scully..." The dark-haired man rested his elbows on his desk; precariously balancing atop the stacks of folders. "I can't be getting worse. It's just not possible."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"And you CAN'T be getting better than me..."  
  
"Excuse me?" The icy syllables jabbed his ears. "Exactly what are you talking about?"  
  
"Scully..." Getting to his feet, Mulder walked around to the other side of his desk and leaned on the edge; hands in pockets. "I graduated before you. I had more field experience before you even got here."  
  
"So?" Her pita lay on the desk, forgotten as she crossed her arms in front of her. "I might point out that time has passed since that first meeting."  
  
"But..." He waved a hand in the air. "It's just not right..."  
  
"Mulder..." Trying hard not to smile she rocked back and forth in her chair. "I also should point out that women have better hand and eye co-ordination as determined by various studies."  
  
"Oh, sure..." Another waggle of his long fingers. "Yet more feminist propoganda to make us men feel inferior..."  
  
"And..." She leaned forward with a sly smile. "You didn't seem to be upset about my hand/eye co-ordination last night."  
  
"Urkle..."  
  
"Pardon me?" Moving out from behind her desk, Scully advanced on the flummoxed man. "I assume that's an apology."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
"Because if it's NOT an apology you should be aware that I had planned a wonderful spaghetti dinner for tonight which I will freely share with the television set while you work on your Tater Tots... alone..."  
  
"Ah..." Slowly he walked back around his desk; slipping into his chair silently. "I suppose that you could have some natural talent."  
  
One red eyebrow arched upwards a micro-inch.  
  
"I mean, instincts and all that."  
  
Another micro-inch.  
  
"After all..." His voice dropped an octave. "I'm not getting dinner, am I?"  
  
"Tell you what, Mulder..." The eyebrow descended slowly. "You leave the scientific justification to me, and I'll leave the instincts to you."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Don't make me shoot you, Mulder. Again."  
  
-------30------  
  
Note: Thanks to everyone for the kind words concerning my recent fanfic revival. As some of you might know (and for those who don't) I'm just coming up on my two year mark as being cervical cancer-free and finally seem to be getting my head around this writing-out-of-canon schtick that held me back for all of last year.  
  
Jackie will be back as soon as my laptop arrives back from the shop this week - let's just say that she's grumpy as hell for being left out of the loop for so long, but looks forward to getting back into it with the Mulder and Scully we both know - and their relationship moving just a wee bit further than CC wants US to see...  
  
Thanks all and see you soon! 


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